Eyecup



Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT OFFICE f `2,223,632 EYECUP Herbert L. Mag-ill and Morris L. Duskin, Chicago,

Ill.; said Duskin assigner to Vsaid Magill Application DecemberV 22, 1938, 'Serial No. 247,172 claims. (c1. L12e- 249) This invention relates to eyecups, and its purpose'is to provide a construction by which the water, medicine or other Washing iluid employed t therein can be more effectivelyy applied to the '5 eyeball land distributed thereover than with the present structures. lAnother vObjectis to provide a' design which can be economically manufactured, and which shallv be convenient to assemble and to use. The invention consists of certain features and elements of construction, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

4In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan View on an enlarged scale looking into the eyecup embodying this invention and showing ythe ports through which the liquid isfed into the same when in use. i Figg2 is aside elevation of the eyecup, but on `a smaller scale than Fig.' 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation oflthe same.

Fig. 4 is a section taken as indicated at line 4-4 onFig. 1.

Figi 5`is` a transverse section taken as indicated at line 5-5 on' Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 4 showing a modied construction.

The eyecup which is commonly in use at the present time comprises simply a bowl having a rim whose contour is approximately oval, and Which is formed to fit snugly around the eye. The bowl is partially lled with the solution or medicine to be employed as an eye wash, and'is placed against the eye in horizontal position. It is then necessary to tilt the head back to invert the eyecup, so that the liquid shall be carried by gravity onto the eye and over the surface thereof as well as possible. Many persons with sensitive eyes involuntarily close the lid upon the rst Contact of the solution, thus reducing the effectiveness of the treatment. And, frequently, the edge of the cup does not fit the contour of the face so closely as to prevent a considerable leakage around the edge when the cup is inverted in use.

The present invention provides for distributing the liquid eye wash over the eyeball repeatedly, if desired, Without inverting the cup, thus reducing the likelihood of such leakage around the edge v0 of' the cup; and it also provides for discharging the liquid against the eyeball with a moderate degree of force, and, preferably with a whirling motion, so as to increase the effectiveness of the washing action. In addition, the forcible dis- 55 charge of the liquid toward the eyeball can usually be accomplished in a manner which will avoid the involuntary closing of the lid. f

The structure which embodies this invention consists of a bowl portion I having its rim '2, `,and

body portion of the usual contour of an eyecup; 5

but instead of the bottom of the bowl 'being closed it includes a rimA flange 3 to which there is secured a compressibleV hollow bulb 4 preferably of rubber, having a thickened rim 5 which engages the groove E of the flange 3. The provision of the groove E in the flange 3 involvesthe formation of a bead 'I'with which the thickened portion or bead vFi of the bulb interlocks, as clearly seen in the sectional views. The-cavity of the bulb 4 communicates with the interior ofthe bowl I through a plurality of ports 8-four such ports are shown in the drawing. Each kof the ports extends obliquely with respect to the central axis of the device and its walls are inclined 20 in a generally helical direction. Thus, when the bulb 4 is filled with :liquid and compressed, the liquid is expelled therefrom through the ports 8 toward the eyeball, with va whirling circulating motion, which serves for effectively cleaning and 25 washing the surface of the eye. At the same time, the bowl I connes the liquid closely to the eye, and there is almost no chance for leakage around the rim 2.

Preferably, the bowl I and the features inte- 30 grally associated therewith, may be constructed of plastic material, such as Celluloid, Bakelite, Pyrolin or the like, so that it may be molded in nal form, which will not require any finishing work. And to permit of this method of manu- 35 facture the ports 8 may be so designed around a central hub 9 that they may be formed by suitable molding cores (not shown) which will be withdrawable in the molding operation in opposite directions parallel to the central axis of the 40 hub 9. As seen in Fig. l, each of the inclined or helical partitions Ill terminates in the bowl I at a radial edge II. Each port extends downwardly and spirally through substantially a quarter-turn, and opens into the bulb 4. Thus', the oppositely Withdrawable cores may contact with each other, face to face, at the radial planes of the edges I I so as to make each of the inclined passages continuous for connecting the bulb 4 with the bowl I. This is merely one suggested method of manufacture, and it will be obvious that substantially equivalent inclined passages may be formed in other ways, so that the liquid propelled through them by the compression of the bulb 4 wm emerge into the bowl with the desired swirling motion.

Fig. 6 illustrates a slightly modified construction in which the bowl IX and the bulb 4X are formed integrally with a connecting neck portion 3X into which a molded disk I3 may be snapped and held by the elasticity of the material comprising the bowl and bulb. Preferably, this Inaterial wlllube rubber, so that the bulb shall be compressible, in the manner already described. The partition'disk I3 may have ports I3x similar in formation to those shown in Fig. 4, so that the liquid passing from the bulb 4 into the bowl I will acquire a whirling movement for the purpose already explained.

It will be recognized that the compressble bulb might be connected with the eyecup through a flexible tube, or that some other for-m of Vpurnpfl ing device might be supplied in place of the bulb,

but, for economy and ease of manufacture, as

jwell as for simplicity of construction, rendering the device easily cleaned and' therefore sanitary,

we find that the vbulb connected directly to the eyecupl is the most satisfactory arrangement, and,

incidentally, is most economical in the use o-f the solution employed as an eye wash therein.

Therefore, while there is sho-Wn and described herein, certain specic structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in 'the art that Various modifications and re-ar- 'rangements of the parts may be made without 'departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the same is not limited to the particularform herein shown and described, except -insofar` as indicated by the appended claims.

Weclaim: l. An eyecup having its wall opposite the open whereby a ywhirling motion is imparted to liquid forced into the cup through said ports.

2.,Thek combination of an eyecup having its wall opposite the open side of the cup composed of a plurality of substantially helical partitions spaced apart at intervals around a central hub to l `obliquely with respect to a plane perpendicular to said axis, whereby a whirling motion is imparted to liquid forced into the cup through said passage and a whirling motion is thereby transmitted `to liquid already in the cup.

4. An eyecup having an inlet passage extending'through the bottom wall of the cup and opening into said cupat the surface of said bottom wall, said passage extending obliquely with respect to a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the cup and being spaced radially from said axis, together with a flexible and collapsible bulbv attached to the eyecup and communicating therewith through said passage, whereby a whirl- Y ing motion is imparted to liquid transferred from the bulb to the -cup by pressure operating to forcibly collapse said bulb.

5. An eyecup having a pair of inlet passages extending through the bottom wall of the cup and opening into said cup at the surface of said bottom wall, said passages being disposedat opposite sides of the central axis of the cup and extending respectively in oppositely oblique relation to a plane perpendicular to said axis, whereby a whirling motion is imparted to liquid in the cup by liquid forced into the cup through said passages simultaneously.

. HERBERT L. MAGILL.

MORRIS L. DUSKIN. 

